Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Half an hour later, Gao Peng and Uncle Liu finally reached the manor. The Blood Eye Whisker Vulture made a steady landing on the grass. After dropping Uncle Liu and Dumby on the ground, the Shadow Japalura glanced at the lake, as if it longed to go for a swim in the water. However, for some reason, it decided against it and simply lay on the ground with its eyes shut and its tail waving lazily about behind it.
Gao Peng’s limbs had gone numb during their flight through the cold air. After jumping down from the Blood Eye Whisker Vulture’s back, Gao Peng rubbed his arms and took in a deep breath.
At that moment, Gao Peng realized just how convenient it would be to have a Lord-tier flying-type familiar of his own.
Both his grandfather and Uncle Liu had a Lord-tier familiar that could fly them around whenever they wanted. Also, they didn’t need to worry about being confronted by other Lord-tier monsters, as fights between Lord-tier monsters were usually quite rare.
Knowing that one false move could put them in a dangerous position, monsters at such a high level would never deliberately pick fights with each other.
At least with a Lord-tier flying-type familiar, Gao Peng would be able to travel around the city with ease. He would no longer need to bother his grandfather and Uncle Liu every time he needed a lift. As both of them were busy people, it certainly seemed unreasonable to expect them to arrange their schedules around his own.
Right now, the flying-type familiar under Gao Peng’s command that was most likely to reach Lord-tier first was Flamy. Despite only being with Gao Peng for a few months, thanks to a balanced diet and innate potential, Flamy had managed to reach Level 28.
Unlike humans, who required more than ten years to mature to adulthood, most animals only needed a few months to reach maturity.
Suddenly, the rest of Gao Peng’s familiars scrambled out of the manor to greet them.
Da Zi bitterly glared at its master.
Gao Peng coughed. Despite Da Zi’s pestering, it had still been left behind by Gao Peng and Uncle Liu.
“All right, stop looking at me like that. Look what I brought you,” said Gao Peng, pointing at the huge uprooted tree behind him.
Goldie curiously approached the tree, ready to sink its beak into it.
Da Zi slapped Goldie with a claw. It’s mine! Gao Peng brought it back for me! None of you are allowed to touch it!
Goldie staggered to one side and stared at Da Zi in confusion. “Quack?” Then it waddled away.
Flamy observed the tree for a moment in the air, then lost interest in it and flew away.
Da Zi stretched itself out across the tree, its feelers waggling inquisitively in the air.
“Gao Peng, how should I eat it?” asked Da Zi. “I don’t eat trees. Trees don’t taste good.”
“No one said anything about eating it. I don’t think you need to eat this thing to evolve,” said Gao Peng, rapping his knuckles on Da Zi’s head.
“What is it?” asked Uncle Liu as he approached the tree.
Gao Peng took a look at the tree’s description.
[Plant Name]: Lightning Bell Pine
The tree’s fruit would be an essential ingredient to Da Zi’s evolution into a Six-Winged Thunder Centipede.
“I still haven’t gathered the rest of the ingredients for your evolution. Don’t worry, I’ll help you evolve tomorrow,” said Gao Peng, patting Da Zi’s head. “Let’s plant the tree now, before it withers.”
Da Zi excitedly got down from the tree. With Dumby’s aid, Gao Peng managed to plant the Lightning Bell Pine tree beside the lake.
At night, the tree stood silently beside the lake, its exposed roots gleaming with a white light. The tree’s golden fruits shone like light bulbs from its branches, where Da Zi lay curled up inside a bird’s nest.
In another corner of the forest, after hunting for food the whole day, a purple-feathered eagle returned to the cliff with its bounty, only to discover that its nest had vanished into thin air. “Squawk!” A piercing screech echoed across the forest.
“Grandpa, I just discovered a way to help Dumby evolve quickly,” said Gao Peng to his grandfather in the living room. “But I need to run it by you first.”
The method he had in mind might have seemed ethically questionable to some. However, as long as it worked, he would have no qualms about using it.
“Well, you are my grandson. Do you really need my approval to do anything?” said Ji Hanwu, chuckling.
“Does the company have its own slaughterhouse, or at least, a place to handle the bodies of dead monsters?” said Gao Peng.
“Of course. It’s still operational right now. I can take you there if you want,” said Ji Hanwu. He put on a black coat and headed out to the slaughterhouse alongside Gao Peng.
The facility was located to the west of the industrial area. Gao Peng rarely went there, as it was quite far from the headquarters and the manor.
Up ahead, Gao Peng could see black smoke rising into the sky and hear the roar of machinery in the distance. Human-shaped figures bustled about near the factory’s gates.
When they reached the gates, a man in a black suit and yellow tie briskly strode towards them. “Chairman Ji, what brings you here?”
Behind him stood a couple of people in various uniforms. He must have been in charge of everything that went on in the facility.
“Working overtime?”
“Yeah, we have a new batch of stock coming in tomorrow. Might as well finish everything we have today,” said the man, smiling.
“I see. I’m just giving my grandson a tour around the place. Zhao Pu, walk with us. The rest of you can go back to your posts.”
Everyone else nodded and left, leaving the man named Zhao Pu with Gao Peng and his grandfather.
“Mr. Zhao, how do you usually process monster bones in this facility?” asked Gao Peng.
Zhao Pu glanced at Gao Peng. So this is Chairman Ji’s grandson, he thought.
His face broke into a smile. “We either grind the bones into nutrient rich bone meal or just feed them directly to the familiars.”
“I would like to see where you process the bones.”
Gao Peng and his grandfather were then brought to a warehouse where monster bones from different parts of the facility were gathered.
Bits of bone and flesh still clung to some of the bones.
However, Gao Peng seemed disappointed by the sight of the shattered bone fragments. Dumby required complete skeletons in order to bring them back to life. It wouldn’t be able to do anything with what the facility had right now.
“Mr. Zhao, I didn’t think the bones you have here would be so… broken up,” said Gao Peng.
“What do you mean? Aren’t they still whole?” said Zhao Pu, scratching his head.
“Next time, try to maintain the integrity of the bones,” said Ji Hanwu, glancing at Gao Peng.
“Ah” was all Zhao Pu could say. Well, that’s easier said than done, he thought.
